As leading professional institutions of the structural engineering profession, we unequivocally denounce the senseless death of George Floyd.  This and other tragic events of recent weeks have brought forth numerous stories from our members who have suffered discrimination, injustice, or intimidation, or have feared for their safety. We must identify and eradicate behaviors that perpetuate racism and inequality within our profession. We recognize change is everyone’s responsibility and that we will only succeed through sustained, collective action at individual, organizational, company, and societal levels.  To this end CASE, NCSEA, and SEI will:

• work in unity and with our parent, member, and local organizations to engage our collective power to bring about real and lasting change;

• collaborate with other organizations outside our profession who are committed to ending racism and to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion;

• urge, support, and empower our members to speak out and act with conviction and courage; and

• ensure that we have open communication channels that allow all members of our structural engineering community to be informed and to be heard.

Over the coming weeks and months, we will strengthen our existing programs for equity, diversity, and inclusion to accelerate progress to a just and safe environment for all members of our profession.

The NCSEA Board of Directors is committed to this joint Call to Action. In partnership with the state SEAs, NCSEA will:

• partner with CASE and SEI to form a joint committee to collaborate and coordinate on actions to improve equity and opportunity in our profession;

• encourage SEAs to endorse this message and adopt similar plans of action;

• compile and share resources for our members on the topics of racism, discrimination, and equality specific to the AEC industry, the design professions, and engineering;

• offer unconscious bias training to NCSEA and SEA membership;

• host an upcoming session about racism, discrimination, social justice, and structural engineering;

• examine and strive to increase the diversity of individuals involved in NCSEA and SEA leadership positions and committee activities;

• work with the NCSEA SE3 committee to report on additional dimensions of diversity in the profession and consider programs to commit to greater engagement and equity accordingly;

• fund a scholarship program for underrepresented students;

• focus the NCSEA Students and Educators Subcommittee on advocacy efforts for underrepresented individuals in the middle school and high school levels;

• develop a mentoring program for underrepresented professionals;

• work with SEAs to engage with student chapters at the university level to increase the diversity of engagement in programs that lead to careers in structural engineering.